Savage Earth: Cold Moon

Darques

The Darque are a subterranean race which evolved from Fungi (distinct from both plants and animals, from which they appear to have diverged around one billion years ago). They have no skeletal structure but are instead held aloft by tight fibrous muscles and an outer chitinous carapace. Some have fibrous fronds which resemble hair and this appears to be more common among the ‘female’ Darques.

Living deep within the earth the Darque would probably never have ventured above ground if it were not for the Asura and the Neanderthal. Both Cultures retreated into the depths and came into contact with the Darque about a thousand years ago. Since then the Darque have accepted surface dwellers into their complexes but have kept them at arm’s length. Trade and alliances have grown naturally but remain unsanctioned by any government.

While it is not uncommon for Darque to enjoy and buy surface commodities, far fewer of the race seek to visit the sunlit world. In truth they consider Mammals and reptiles to be clumsy anomalies of evolution destined to die out in the long run. Those who do leave the mossy caverns are distrusted by their kind and usually disowned at the very least.

Mycotoxin: ¬ (-2 death within 2d10+10 minutes). The Darque produce a substance from any orifice which comes with a powerful kick, a sappy liquid which can be used as a weed killer or detergent, but which serves them as a biological agent. Blades, claws, teeth and traps coated with this Mycotoxin poison anyone they wound.

Hard to kill: the Darques body is different to that of animals and does not suffer damage in quite the same way. When forced to make a Vigor roll due to incapacitation, they may ignore wound modifiers. This only applies to Vigor rolls called for by these tables – they still suffer from wound modifiers for other trait rolls normally.

Bioluminescence: The many eyes of the Darque emit bioluminescence which allows them to see in the dark and to ignore attack penalties for Dim and Dark lighting. The light from these eyes will also light any object brought within five feet, casting a sickly green light on it.

Lit target: Even with their eyes shut the eyes of the Darque give off a light glow which makes them easy to spot in the dark and reduces their stealth rolls by -4.

Outsider: The Darque have made no treaties with surface dwellers and there is little interaction between their kingdom and that of the Saurians or the Mammals. They are rarely found in the major cities, as such they suffer a -2 Charisma modifier among non others. Even worse, an adventuring Darque is distrusted by his kind and suffers the same penalty even among them.